Small Grants for Community Partnering Program in Colorado

The Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) Small Grants for Community Partnering Program offers seed or capacity-building funding to non-profit organizations, HOAs, K-12 schools, and community-based organizations. This program directly connects the community with open space sales tax dollars to support outdoor community projects and foster lasting partnerships across the region. The program aligns with LCDNR’s core mission: "Connect People, Nature and Place with a community centered focus which is inclusive and collaborative." Target beneficiaries include a wide array of community organizations and schools within Larimer County (unincorporated or city/town limits). The program aims to achieve several impact goals, including developing and enhancing natural landscapes, providing nature-based environmental education, increasing access to nature for those facing barriers, fostering connections to land through local agricultural food production, and conducting research on county open spaces. The program prioritizes projects that fall into one of five categories: providing or enhancing natural landscapes (e.g., wildlife habitat, wetlands, parks), offering nature-based environmental education opportunities (e.g., outdoor classrooms, workshops), creating access to nature for those experiencing barriers (e.g., limited transit, financial obstacles), promoting local agricultural food production (with a focus on improving soil, water, habitat, or community connection to agriculture), and conducting research on Larimer County open spaces that generates new ecological, historical, visitation, or human dimensions information. Applicants may request up to $4,000 and are limited to one application per grant cycle. The expected outcomes include tangible improvements to natural spaces, increased environmental literacy, enhanced equitable access to nature, stronger community ties to local food systems, and new scientific knowledge about Larimer County's open spaces. Projects must align with LCDNR’s mission to connect people, nature, and place, demonstrating a community-centered, inclusive, and collaborative approach. Preference is given to projects associated with conserved land, and general operating requests are not considered, emphasizing the program's focus on specific project-based impact.